


Count Your Blessings, Not Your Flaws

by ChimkenNumget



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: F/F, I almost lost my shit while writing this, tw: homophobic slurs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:41:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23444911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChimkenNumget/pseuds/ChimkenNumget
Summary: How far are you willing to go to protect the ones you love? For Aragon, Parr, and Cleves, they'd go through lengths to protect their loved ones.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr, Anne of Cleves/Katherine Howard, Catherine of Aragon/Jane Seymour
Comments: 12
Kudos: 150





	Count Your Blessings, Not Your Flaws

**Author's Note:**

> Alternatively called: Catherine of Aragon loses her shit, Catherine Parr can and will hit someone with a baseball bat, and Anna of Cleves goes feral. 
> 
> TW for homophobia! If there are any other triggers that I missed, just tell me!
> 
> Also, this was a request from tumblr

Catherine of Aragon isn't someone you would consider "soft" and approachable. She held just as much dignity and regality as she did during her time as queen. As Anne had put it, she had what people call "resting bitch face," which Aragon grew to hate because of its crude language. Although, there are times where she shows weakness, but she isn't exactly open about it. She isn't like the youngest Katherine who shows her worry and vulnerability towards the others, nor is she like Cleves who allows herself to be weak after weeks, maybe even months, of repressing her emotions. No, Aragon would rather die than to let people see how scared and remorseful she truly is. It's not that she doesn't allow herself to be weak, or soft, or whatever, but she had to be the rock that keeps everyone together. Parr can't handle that responsibility alone. 

There are times of course, where one of the queens would see the other side of her. A side she so desperately tries so hard to hide, despite knowing how futile hiding it is. One who knows is Anne, of course, the second queen would often be forceful when comforting someone, and the fact that they already know each other made it easier for Aragon to open up to her. 

Another one is Jane. Jane saw the weakest parts of Aragon, saw her flaws, her regrets, her mistakes. Everything. If anything, Jane knew more than Anne. The third queen was a safe haven for Aragon, for anyone really, and just basking in Jane's comforting voice almost always calms her nerves. She couldn't remember a time where Jane wasn't there in her time of need, and saying that, Aragon would do anything to protect Jane. She knew just how demure and passive Jane is, especially when it comes to her own feelings and opinions. 

Which now leads us to their current predicament. 

In all honesty, all Aragon wanted was one,  _ just one _ , peaceful date with Jane. No Kat and Anne hiding just around the corner, and no Cath and Anna sending her short letters on what to say. She appreciates the gestures, don't get her wrong, she knows they're just trying to help, but it often gets on her nerves. Especially that time the cousins followed them around town, making Jane scared thinking that they're murderers or something, that Aragon almost called the police had Anne not ran to her and reassured them they were only trying to help by making sure they were alright. Jane appreciated the thought, but she did not like being followed around, so she sent the two home. 

Good thing now none of the other queens were following them around, which Jane and Aragon are both grateful of. It was some sort of respite from all the chaos that the others (mainly Anne) brough in their wake. A breather if you will. Now they get to have their peaceful date Aragon oh so yearned, with both of them just chatting in a nearby coffee shoppe. Sitting by the window, the two queens just talked about their recent discoveries and dilemmas, with Aragon sipping on her coffee once in a while, as did Jane with her milk tea. Aragon was sure the other seventy percent of Jane isn't water, it's tea, but she's not gonna say that out loud. 

It was going as peaceful as it can get, and Aragon loved every second of it. She just loved the way Jane's eyes would light up every now and then, the way she would shy away and blush whenever Aragon compliments her, the first queen just couldn't get enough. If you'd tell her past self that in the future she'd meet the other five wives of her husband, form a family with them, and somehow marry one of her fellow queens, she'd think you've strayed from God's light. But now? Now she'd believe you with everything that she is. 

Aragon let out a sigh, moving her hand along the table, and clasping it along with Jane's. Jane smiled shyly in return, and Aragon thanked God for blessing her with such a sight. At that moment, everything seems fine. 

"Excuse me?"

And someone just had to ruin it, of course. Someone just  _ had _ to ruin her moments with her wife.

Aragon heaved a deep, exasperated sigh, and looked up from where she sat. "Yes?" She sneered, eyes narrowed as she examined the woman standing in front of them. Short in build, brown hair, and wearing simple business clothes. There were wrinkles on her face, and she looks as if she was offended by everything. With slight disgust and spite, Aragon, with forced restraint, manage to tone down her voice so it wouldn't come off as rude, "how can we help you?"

"Can you bring that somewhere else?" The woman said almost immediately. 

Aragon raised a brow, "I'm sorry, but bring  _ what _ somewhere else?"

The woman then pointed at their joint hands, a look of disgust on her face as she stared back at Aragon. "That." She spat out, eyes narrowing. "Bring your gay shit somewhere else. It's disturbing everyone in this establishment!"

For a small second Aragon saw Jane flinch at the woman's raised tone, it took everything in her to not spill her coffee on the woman. Aragon then took a sharp intake of breath, and squeezed Jane's hand, a small reassurance for the third queen. 

Jane, for her part, is absolutely terrified, but at the same time she was confused. Last time she checked they were not disturbing anyone, and some people actually thought it was sweet that she and Aragon still go on dates. So why would this woman be opposed? Was it them? No, that couldn't be, right? So, with a small voice, she asked: "but, we're not even disturbing anyone. We're just enjoying our time here. Is there something wrong with that?" 

The woman then snapped her gaze into Jane's. "Uhm, yes? There is! So can you two dykes enjoy it somewhere else? What's not to get? Are you really that dense? What you two are doing is disgusting!" She yelled, inching closer to Jane. Raising her hand, she jabbed her index finger on Jane's chest. "You know, I'd rather you just shut up. I don't want to hear anything from you. Good thing you died before your son grew up, can't imagine what his reaction would he knowing his mother loves another woman." 

The whole café was stunned, it was quiet, and the only audible sound was breathing and Jane's gasp. 

Jane has never looked so broken, so  _ terrified _ , her hands were cold, shaking against Aragon's warm ones. The look in her eyes were nothing but fear and guilt and grief. Tears were starting to form on the corners of her eyes, and it took everything in Aragon to not throw the woman across the window. 

"Jane," Aragon whispered, "don't listen to her." Her grip on Jane tightened, but the fear did not subside. It was not the woman Jane saw now, it was  _ him _ . His face, his voice, his  _ rage _ . The third queen was too far gone for Aragon to ground. 

The woman smirked, "and why wouldn't you listen to me? This is wrong! You two are suppose to be queens, yet you—"

Before she jabbed her finger onto Jane again, Aragon stood up and held the woman's wrist rather tightly. Her thumb just a shy inch away from her pulse, and her nails dug on the skin. Aragon has had  _ enough _ .

"What do you think you're doing? Let go of me, dyke!"

Aragon took in another sharp breath. This woman is really testing her patience. She has to keep her cool, though. Keep her voice in check, lest she scares Jane more. "Leave her alone," she growled out, voice really trying to not scream. "Leave her and everyone else here alone. We're not disturbing anyone. If anything, it's  _ you _ who's distrupting the peace here."

"I'm here to enjoy my time, unlike you who's shoving that gay shit in our faces. Maybe  _ you and your wife _ should leave." The woman hissed, eyes narrowing as she glared at Aragon. 

The first queen glanced back at Jane, now with tears streaming down and her face, and time seemed to slow down. Jane was crying, she was shaking, holding the edge of the table and scratching it. She was  _ panicking _ . At the realization, Aragon's eyes widened, tried to reach out to Jane, but stopped when the woman laughed. When she turned back to the woman, Aragon only saw red. Gritting her teeth, she held the woman's wrist tighter, and  _ grinned _ when she heard her gasp in pain. 

"Hey," Aragon said slowly, pulling the woman close, now face to face. "I suggest you leave now, before I do something I might not really regret." Her voice was calm, yet it was dripping with venom, and it did not fail to intimidate the woman. 

The woman fumed, face beet red, and forcefully freed herself from Aragon's grip. She huffed and took a step back from the two queens, she then sneered, "fine then, rot in hell, both of you." And with that, she turned to leave. 

Before she could get any further though, Aragon called out, "hey wait!" And once the woman turned to face her, Aragon took her cup of coffee, and splashed her drink on to the woman, soaking her from head to toe. "Now you may leave." Aragon said with a satisfied smirk. 

The woman let out an indignant squawk, "you'll pay for this!" 

Aragon only smirked and raised a brow, "but I already payed for that coffee, so what else will I pay for?" She asked with mock innocence, making the woman fume even more as she stormed out the shoppe. 

Once she was out of sight, Aragon then hurried back to Jane, fully expecting her to still be in tears, yet the look Jane gave her left Aragon breathless. The third queen look at her with awe, eyes wide and lips curling to a smile. There were still tears in her eyes, but it didn't fell. Before Aragon could utter a single word, Jane ran up to her and hugged her tightly, wrapping her arms around the first queen's neck, bringing her impossibly close. Aragon hears Jane mutter "thank you" under her breath, and Aragon nodded, now returning the hug. 

"Of course, my love. Anything for you." Aragon softly whispered, kissing Jane's temple as she did so. 

Jane suddenly broke the hug, and motioned to the small puddle of black coffee, "oh, Ari, the mess!"

"Don't worry about that, ma'am!" The man behind the counter suddenly exclaimed, leaving his post to get a mop and he started cleaning. "It's just a small stain, plus, your wife basically saved us all the trouble hearing that woman talk shit again." 

Aragon looked at him incredulously, "you mean to tell me this isn't the only time?"

The man sighed sadly and nodded, "yeah, unfortunately. Usually it isn't the gays she fights, often it's people she sees with tattoos and such. A biker almost threw her across the window! But sadly he didn't do it. My partner went here once, and she was here that time too, and she started misgendering them and my partner just left and cried on our flat. After this, I'm definitely telling our manager to ban that bitch. She doesn't deserve to be here."

The first queen smiled at that, this was a good man who didn't deserve the shit he went through. With one final decision, Aragon and Jane thanked him and left, but not without paying him extra. He deserved it, honestly. 

On their way home, Aragon wrapped her arm around Jane's waist and pulled her close. "Are you okay, mi amada?" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it would provoke her," Jane said with a low voice, not meeting Aragon's eyes. It didn't take long for Aragon to know what's on Jane's mind. Aragon knew of how badly  _ he _ manipulated Jane, to the point where the third queen apologizes for accidentally misplacing their salt shakers at home, yet more than often not Jane would slip back to the mantra forcefully embedded to her as both on her times as queen and how history painted her. Always so demure, so quiet, and only remembered for her son, but Aragon and their little family knows Jane's more than that. More than history painted her as, and more than Henry reduced her to be. She's a queen, and Aragon will make sure she knows that everday. 

"You shouldn't apologise for something so small, mi amor. It was not your fault she was quick to anger." She said, just as quietly as Jane. The first queen then pulled her closer, and dipped her head as she whispered: "there's so much more to you, Jane. I think it's time you reclaim your crown."

And for the first time since they left the cafe, after the whole ordeal, Jane smiled and Aragon felt blessed to see it once again. 

**_~_ **

It was a common fact that Catherine Parr stays up late, that's both a good and bad thing honestly. The good thing about that is when someone needed comfort while the others are already dead asleep, she can keep them company. The bad thing? Sleep deprived hallucinations, not having enough energy to seize the day, and all in all it seems like she came back from the dead (which they all did, really, but we're not dwelling on that). Still, Parr insists on staying up late, whether the reason for her inability to sleep is insomnia, her writings, or night terrors, there isn't a night where the writer actually sleeps in early. 

Of course, the other queens do make sure she sleep, one way or another. Aragon would usually enter her room and force her on the bed and cuddles with her until the sixth queen's asleep. Or when Katherine brought her blanket and stuffed animals and gave Parr the puppy eyes to sleep next to her. Those were really the only times Parr ever had a peaceful sleep. What follows though is she wakes up extremely late. Honestly, the queens would rather have a late riser Cathy than a sleep deprived one. 

Now, half past midnight, Parr decided to give herself a small break and make some more coffee. As she stood from her seat, she heard a loud thud from the living room. Alarmed by this, she hurried to her closet to get the baseball bat Cleves gave her. She's not gonna run to the kitchen to use the knives. If she's gonna defend herself and protect her family in the process, she's gonna do it without killing someone. Of course, she could just aim for the less fatal points, but Parr doesn't trust her impulses, so the baseball bat it is!

Peeking from the door, Parr heard a groan still coming from the living room. Parr suspected someone mistaking this house for theirs, one of the queens (most probably Anne or Kat) staying up late, or a legit burglar who's about to get pummeled with a bat. Taking in a shaky breath, she stood her ground and went out. 

She was crouching while she moved, bat held tightly against her chest, and as she moved closer to the living room, her heart pounded loudly from its cage. 

Parr turned the lights, for her lack of better judgement, and raised her bat to defend herself if it truly is a burglar. But it's not. Laying face down on the floor  _ just next _ to the couch was none other than Anne Boleyn herself. Parr would be lying if she said she didn't sigh in relief, she didn't have to hit someone. But, as much as she wants to celebrate that Jane won't be finding an unknown person's unconscious body, her concern for Anne was far greater than her want to go back to her writing. 

Carefully pacing towards the prone queen, she placed her bat on the arm of the couch, then Parr kneeled down beside Anne and noticed her  _ sobbing _ . 

"Bo?" Parr called out, quietly, voice as low as a whisper to not alarm the second queen. "Bo, are you alright? Okay, clearly not, but still. What happened to you?" She asked, reaching towards Anne and placing her hand on Anne's shoulder. "Bo, really. I'm worried. What happened?"

The sobs only grew louder, and Parr was starting to panic. Just what had happened to make the raucous Anne Boleyn be so broken that she couldn't face the world? Who did this to her? And who are they so Parr can swing her bat and actually kill them. 

That final thought actually made her shiver.

Shaking her head, she scolded herself for such thoughts.  _ Now's not the time _ , she tells herself,  _ think of Anne first _ . 

Oh God, Catherine was not good at this whole comforting thing. She bit her lip and thought for a moment, what would Jane and Aragon do? Well, Jane would invite her for tea. Aragon would usually stay with her and tell her stories. Maybe a mix of both? Yeah, maybe that could work. As she nodded to herself, she dipped her head slightly near Anne's ear, and said: "I'll be making coffee, you're free to join me if you'd like. I'll make you hot chocolate if you'd much prefer, too." And with that, she stood up and went to the kitchen. 

As she was making the drinks, the sight of Anne breaking down never left her mind. Anne coming home drunk on some nights were normal. Although, Anne coming home drunk and crying her eyes out was not. Something might have happened, for all she knows, Anne was not one to show emotions. For her to actually cry must've hit her pretty hard.  _ What if it's about Elizabeth? _ Parr can't shake the thought, she knows just how much Anne misses her daughter, and just mentioning her would reduce Anne to tears.  _ Or maybe her family? Or something else entirely _ . 

Lost in thought, she didn't notice Anne walking almost drunkenly towards the chairs, pulling one with an unnerving screech from the tiles, and just plopping herself along the wooden furniture. If that didn't phase Parr, what did was that loud bang from the table. Turning her head from the chocolate mix, she saw Anne bang her head once again on the table. Dropping the mix, she hurriedly went to sit next to Anne, bringing her hands to Anne's face and cupping her cheeks, "hey, no. Don't do that," she quietly scolded the second queen. The sight made Parr's heart break; thick tears streamed down her face, and a clear red mark on her forehead from when she banged it on the table. 

Sighing deeply, Parr forced herself to look at Anne in the eyes. God, the usual spark and light in them were gone, replaced with a dull void of nothingness. Parr wanted to talk to her, to tell her anything really, to reassure her that everything will be alright, yet at this moment, words fail. She just couldn't form any type of assurance, not when Anne keeps looking at her like that; like she's her saving grace. 

Sucking in a breath, she opened her mouth to talk, but Anne beat her to it. 

"Am I really a bad person, Cathy?"

And the brokenness of her voice just took all the air from Catherine's lungs. The cracks were there, wavering, and low. A huge contrast from her normal tone of voice. 

"Do I really not deserve the control I have now?"

It took a lot of courage in Parr's part to look back into Anne's eyes, and  _ finally _ , finally she sees her, and she can't breathe. Her lover, her confidante, her clown of many years, being desecrated by treasonous monsters from her past. Shackled within their words, spread across the land like wildfire as gossips and rumours. A dignity and reputation burned to the ground, all for a crime she did not commit. If Parr could turn back time, or if she had the chance to go back, she's sure as hell would save Anne. Take her and Elizabeth away from Henry. She'd do it in a heartbeat. But she knows she can't, so for now, comforting Anne was the best she could do. 

"Am I still suppose to be under his thumb? Doing every bit of his bidding? Do I really deserve being beheaded?"

Parr shook her head, "Anne, no. I know you don't believe that. You deserve every bit of control you have now." She said, pulling her hands from Anne's face and wrapping them around the second queen's waist to pull her close to a hug. "You're in control now, Anne. You can do whatever you want now. I promise, no one will ever take that from you." And she meant every word. 

Anne sniffled, "I really want to believe that, but what it's hard to believe in it, Catherine.  _ It really is _ ." Her voice was still so low, still so broken, as she wrapped her arms weekly around Parr. Her head rested on Parr's shoulder, moving slightly to bury herself on the crook of Parr's neck, almost as if she's hiding herself. 

Parr nodded, and held Anne closer. Almost like she's shielding the second queen from whatever it is that haunts her. "It'll take some time for you to trust my words, for sure, but I'll wait for you." She whispered lowly, one hand moving from Anne's waist to tangle itself in Anne's curly locks. "I'll do anything to help you rid of the monsters inside your head."

Anne only hummed, and it made Parr nervous at the lack of verbal response. Her nerves were calmed though, when she felt Anne move herself from her neck to her chest, just where her heart is to listen to it beat. Something Parr knew that grounded Anne. The sixth queen sigh in relief and contentment, her writing and coffee long forgotten now, but she couldn't care less. Anne is and always will be her top priority. 

**_~_ **

Anna of Cleves is a relatively calm and chill person. Nothing easily gets under her skin, and it would honestly take a lot for someone to actually piss her off. That being said, she's typically the go to person whenever an argument storms within the house. The fourth queen avoids conflict as much as possible, seeing it as nothing but foolish behaviour, and often hides Katherine inside her room with her whenever some of the queens fight. 

Still though, despite her laid back attitude, Cleves was not an exception to rage. One thing that will  _ always _ piss her off is someone talking shit about her family. She got into a fist fight with a reporter once when he said Anne was a bad mother. There was also that one time she cornered an interviewer when they keep going on and on about Parr's marriage with Thomas. But nothing will ever compare to the rage she feels whenever someone shit talks Katherine. Cleves couldn't care less if you call her ugly or whatever, but dare look at Katherine the wrong way and Cleves will make sure you will be breathing your last breath. 

She failed to save Katherine in their first life, she'd be damned if Kat got hurt again in this one. 

Now though, Cleves didn't expect to protect her from anything other than her nightmares. The twenty first century was nothing like the fifteenth, they were safe here. Yet she knows, with some people still curious about their past they couldn't help but ask them questions that, unknowingly to other people, open the supposed close wounds of their past. One reporter in particular was John. They knew he was just doing his job, but he could at least be a little considerate and sensitive about certain topics. Cleves did not like him or his questions, she'd rather answer lighthearted ones like if did they really dance with each other. John's questions hit close to home.

_ Is it true that you were considered ugly back then? _

_ Did Henry even considered your marriage? _

_ Lady Howard, are you aware that your reign as queen changed nothing? _

The last question did not fail on fuelling her wrath. How  _ dare  _ he? Katherine's reign changed the court! She made everything so lively, the only reason why Anna kept on coming back! Had it not been for Katherine, Anna wouldn't even try and look at Henry's way. 

"Ah," she hears Katherine breathe out, "it… it didn't?"

Cleves' eyes widened at the lack of emotions Katherine had, the hollow look in her eyes, the monotonous tone of her voice. She looked like an empty shell, like when they first got to this strange new world. Quiet and reserved, would rather get beheaded again than to talk to the other queens, and would hide in her room for days. Cleves saw  _ that _ Katherine, not the lively and outgoing person she grew to love, and it infuriated her to no end. 

" _ Bullshit. _ " The fourth queen snapped, making everyone turn to her in surprise. "That's  _ bullshit _ and  _ you know it. _ " She sneered, standing up from her place and pointing an accusatory finger at John. "Her reign didn't change  _ nothing _ . If not for  _ her _ , many people would've gotten beheaded just because Henry could do it. If not for  _ her  _ many people wouldn't have homes and lands of their own. If not for  _ her _ Elizabeth would've still been neglected. And you know what? When she realized Maragret Pole didn't have proper clothing while imprisoned, she had her dressmakers make warm clothing for her. And she paid for this out of her own riches." 

Once Cleves finished, she was breathing heavily, eyes still fixated on John. With a sneer, she continued, "she did all of that while she was still a teenager. While she was suppose to live her life in splendor, rather than to have the pressure of a country placed on her back. And she did all of that before she got beheaded by an asshole who had more illnesses than brain cells. So don't you _ dare _ say her reign changed  _ nothing. _ "

John only looked at her in shock, mouth hung wide, unsure of what to say. 

Before any of the reporters can ask her more, she growled out, "get out.  _ All of you _ .  **_Now_ ** ." It didn't take a minute for every reporter to run out of the press room, words of concern and disappointment echoed as incoherent choruses as they left. Once finally alone with the fifth queen, Cleves let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding. 

The room was quiet, it was almost deafening, and it was enough to hear Katherine's breath hitch and Cleves' ragged breathing. She hated this, she hated those reporters. God, did she honestly lose her cool in front of so many people? Oh, this was going to be the talk of the town now, is it? The fourth queen groaned at the thought.  _ Great. Just great. _ She brought her hand to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, the other still on the table in front of them, shaking. 

"I'm sorry about that, Kätzchen." Cleves quietly said, "I should've kept my cool. I'm sorry, I—"

She was cut off, however, by a screech of the chair being suddenly pushed back, and Katherine launching herself to the fourth queen to hug her. Katherine buried her face on the crook of Cleves' neck, her arms wrapped around Cleves' waist. "Don't apologize, please. You've apologized countless times to me. And in all accounts you didn't even do anything wrong. Please, Anna, don't apologize anymore. Not to me. Not while all you did was protect me." She whispered, sighing softly when she felt Cleves return her hug. 

Cleves swallowed thickly, phazed by Katherine's statement. She's sure she wouldn't stop right then and there, and Katherine knows that too, but for Kat? She's willing to try. Pulling the fifth queen closer, Cleves quietly breathed out a sigh. "Of course, I'll try and stop." Katherine only nodded. "How about let's put our faults to bed?"

"Huh?"

Cleves smiled, pulling away from the hug to look at Katherine in the eyes. That grayish blue shade will always take her breath away. "Put our faults to bed," she repeated and saw the wonder in Katherine's eyes. She chuckled lowly, cupping Katherine's cheek, "there's no need in reliving them. You and I can be queens without them. What do you say?"

It took a moment, but Katherine finally smiled and nodded at the thought, "yeah, I'd love that."

"Great, that's great." Cleves said, voice soft with affection. She leaned in down and gently kissed Katherine, "Ich liebe dich, Kätzchen."

"Ich liebe dich auch, mein schatz." Kat whispered back, and pulled the fourth queen in for a hug. The two stayed like that for who knows how long, content to bask in each other's warmth, content in finally coming to terms with their own faults. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if it sucks. I've been working on this for a week and I am legit tired. If there are any mistakes and such, just tell me


End file.
